Box feeding device for strapping machines



Nov. 2, 1937.

G. C. PAXTON BOX FEEDING DEVICE FOR STRAPPING MACHINES Filed Feb. l0, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. C. PAXTON Filed Feb. 10, 1937 BOX FEEDING DEVICE FOR STRAPPING MACHINES Nov. 2, 1937.

Nov. 2, 1937. G. c. PAxToN BOX FEEDING DEVICE FOR STRAPPING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1o, 19:5'7` s sheets-sheet s #Vl/INTO@ Patented Nov. '2, 1937,

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Acme Steel Company, tionvof I lineamenti-pm' io, 1937, serial This application is a continuation in Part of my copending application for U. S. Letters Patent, Ser. No. 613,225, which. was flied' May 24, 1932, on a Box-feeding device for lidders, now

Patent No. 2,075,053, dated March 30,5193'7.

The invention relates .to devices for'feeding.

boxes to machines for boxes.

In the citrus industry fruit is packedl in wooden shipping boxes with what is known as an overvpack, the fruit extending as much as 3 or 4 inches above the upper limits of the box.. When applying straps to said the lid is applied it is necessary to'press it downwardly to bring the ends of the lid against theIA ends of the box, the middle of the lid being left bulging upwardly to accommodate this overpack.- To hold down the side edges of the cover thus applied to the box a strap is placed across the cover under tension, and the ends of the strap are secured'to the sides of the box. For theapplication of this strap, machines'have been developed, these. originally' being separate from the lidde'rs, but more recently being incorporated therewith so as to strap the box at the time it is being lidded. 'I'he boxes tobe lidded and strapped are delivered to the lidder and strapper from a packed box conveyor, these usually being drawn into the lidder and strapper one box at a time by the operator. The necessity for the operator giving attention to this feeding slows up the lidding of each -box and reduces the capacity of themachine.

` It is therefore an object of my invention to 364 provide an automatic box feeding machine for delivering boxes to the machine for vapplying straps to said boxes.

In most of the combined lidders and strappers at present in use, the strap tc be applied to each box is separately fed into the machine by the operator just before the machine. performs its lidding and strapping operation on that box.

It is another object of my invention to provide an automatic box feeding mechanism for delivering lboxes to the machine for applying straps to the same, and which is adapted to be controlled in conjunction with the feeding of straps to the machine, so that a box is fed into the machine promptly after a strap has been placed therein.

'I'he manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as further objects and advantages,

' will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying .55 drawings, in which:

2,091,774 I DEVICE Fon "summa xmms V y PATENT lolii-*Ich*- csuf.; miglior to Chicago, Illl, a corpora- No. 125,097 f (o1. L m)r l "Figg l is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of myinvention shown in conjunction'withfa combined lidder and-strapping machine.

' 2 is a fragmentary perspective viewfiilus- 6 trating the manner of placing a strap in one form Iof strapping machine so as to set in motion the feed device of .my invention. Y

Fig. 3 is a. plan view of the apparatus of my invention taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4'- is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig.` 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig, 4. f

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical 15 'system employed in my invention and comprising vthe compound control means thereof.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of amodified form of strapping machine which is adapted to be used in my invention.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the strap adapted to be used in the strapping machine shown in Fig.' '7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 'l and illustrating 25 the strap receiving lingers for holding the strap and comprising the contacts for a control switch in my invention.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line Ill- IU of Fig. 9. 30

Fig. 11 is. a'. horizontal sectional view taken on line lI-II-of Fig. 9.

In referring specicaliy to the drawings it is Vto be noted that my invention includes a feed conveyor llll which,as shown in Fig. 1, is posi- 35 tioned between a packed box conveyor Il and a lidding and strapping machine I2.

-As shown in Figs., 1, 3, 4 and 5, the feed conveyor I0 includes a suitable frame 20 having angle iron legs 2|, horizontal transverse angle 40 Yiron members 22 andV 23, and longitudinal angle iron members 2l and 25. the ends of the latter being secured to the transverse members 22 and 23. Secured to the under sides of themembers 24 and 25 at opposite ends of the feed4 conveyor 45 i9 is a plate 30 and a motor supporting hanger 3l. Adjustably mounted in suitable holes in the angle iron members 24 and 25 are box aligning rails 32 and 33 which are heldin any desired position by set screws 34. Rotatably mounted 50 at suitable intervals on the upstandingsides of the angle iron members 24 and 25 are pairs of idle'rollers 35, as best shown .in Fig. 3. Journalled in suitable bearings 36 provided on the angle iron members 24`and 25 is a shaft 40 to 55 which is keyed a pair'of, box conveying rollers 4I, it being noted in Figs. 1 and 4 that the top level of the rollers 4| is disposed slightly abovethe top level of the idle rollers 35. Keyed to one end of the shaft 40 is a sprocket wheel 45.

Yieldably mounted on the,transverse angie iron member 22 is an arm 50. The arm 50 is'down- ,rectly wardly bent at one end to form a flange 5I and is provided atits opposite end with an arcuate portion 52.. Extending through suitable holes in the flange 5| are cap screws 55, these beingscrew threaded into the transverse member 22. Mounted on the cap screws 55 are compression springs 55 which yieldably urge the flange 5| of the arm 50 into contact with the upstanding side of the member 22. The normal position of the arm 50 is best shown in- Fig. 4, it being noted that the arcuate portion 52 thereof extends above the level of the rollers 4I. Mounted on the plate 30 dibelow the arm 50 is a conventional button switch 50 which is positioned to be contacted by the arm 50 when the arm is depressed 'to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4.

Secured to the hanger-0I is a combined electri'c motor 55 and a worm and gear speed reduction unit 65. 'This unit drives a sprocket 10 positioned in alignment with the aforementioned sprocket 45. Trained about the sprockets 45 and 10 is a chain 1|, the chain and sprockets being enclosed by a suitable housing 15. -Secured to one -side of the hanger 3| is a conventional magnetic switch The lidding and strapping machine I2 shown in Fig. 1 in conjunction with the'feed conveyor I0 is substantially of the same type as is disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent to Harry D. Benson, No. 1,938,244, issued lDecember 5, 1933 on a Method of and apparatus for securing covers to containers.

The machine I2 includes a frame 80 to which is secured the feed' conveyor I0. 'Slidable vertically on the frame 80 is a box supporting carriage 8| which is adapted to be raised and lowered by a hydraulic cylinder 82. Rotatably. mounted onthe carriage 8l are box conveying rollers 85 which 4are horizontally aligned with the rollers 35 of the feed conveyor I0 when the carriage 8I\is at rest in its lowermost position.

. Mounted on opposite sides of the frame 80 are brackets 80 which 'carry a plurality of lid nailing devices 9|'. Secured to the under sides of the brackets 90 are lidpositioning bars 92 and end tucking mechanisms 95.

Centrally. mounted on the frame 90 is a strapper 91 which includes a strapping saddle bar |00 and strap supporting jaws I0| suspended therefrom.

On strapper saddle bar |00 is'a conventional button switch |06 positioned to be momentarily contactedby a strap as the latter is fed into the machine or by the hand carrying the strap motor 55, anda suitable source of electrical cura compression spring D. The box responsive but- ,rentA such as a generator II5.

The strap responsive button switch |06 is provided with a pair of terminals A and B, an arm C, and'is adapted to be urged out of contact by ton switch 60 is identical with the switch |06, and

`is provided 4with terminals E-and F, an arm G,

and a compression spring H. The malleii switch 16 is of conventional design including a of terminals K and L, and a` magnet J, a pair spring returned bar M which is adapted to be drawn against the terminals K and L by the magnet J. The magnet J is provided with suitable terminals N and O. The motor 65 is pro- Ivided with conventional terminals P and R, and the generator II5 with terminals S and T.

Terminals S and P are connected. by a Wire |201; terminals T and A by a wire I2I; terminals A and K by a wire |22; terminals L and B by a wire |23; terminals N and S by a wire'l |24; terminals O and R. by a wire |25; terminals F and L by a wire |26; and terminal E is connected to the wire |25 by a Wire |21.

Operation.

The usual manner of operation of thelidder and strapper I2 is as follows: Just before the lidding of each box it is necessary that a strap |35 and a lid IIO be fed into the machine, and

in the type of machine illustrated this feeding is done manually. 'Ihe strap is usually fed by the mi;l hand and is inserted Ain the machine before the lid. In feeding the strap, it is lifted -the strapper 91 the lid IIO is swung inwardly in the right hand so that this lid moves leftwardly into the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 1, after whch the right-hand end of the lid is lifted, permitting it to assume the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in this view.

With the lidde'r I2 thus supplied with a strap and a lid, these are applied to a' packed box by positioning this box on the supporting carriage 8l which is then elevated to press the lid onto the fruit and bring the ends of the lid against the ends of the box just beneath the nailing devices 0I. These nailing devices and the strapper 91 are then actuated and the supporting carriage 8| with the lidded packed box automatically drops `downwardly and the box, lidded and strapped, is discharged in a rightward direction therefrom.

The principal function of the present invention is to automatically feed packed boxes of fruit onto the supporting carriage 8| so'that a packed box will be positioned on the carriage 8| in readiness 'for completing the lidding. and strapping function with as little delay as possible after the strap has been fed to the machine. The feed conveyor I 0,. therefore, is adapted to feed a packed box into the machine I2 in the following manner:

When a packed box |30 is dischargedonto the feed conveyor |0 by the packed box conveyor II, it comes to rest in its dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 due to frictional engagement of the box with the rollers 4|, these being normally locked against rotation by the worm and gear unit 65. As the box |30 slides onto the conveyor I0 the arm 50 is depressed to its dotted line positionA shown in Fig. 4 and the switch 60 is contacted, thus closing the circuit between the strap operated switch |06 and themagnet J through wires |26; |21, |23, and |25. When, after the switch 60 is thus closed, the switch |06 is momentarily contacted by a strap I3l during manual placement of the strap in the lidding and strapping machine I2 (as shown in Fig. 1) this energizes the magnet J of the switch 1s bringing the bar M 75 and |23 of the electrical circuit illustrated in Fig;

in contact with the terminals K and L, thus completing the circuit between the generator I5 and' the motor 65.

When thus energized, the motor 65 rotates the rollers 4| through the speed reduction unit 66 and the chain 1|, and the box |30 is discharged from the feed conveyor |0 onto the box supporting carriage 8| of the lidding and strapping ma'- chine 2, as shown in Fig. 1. As theY box passes from the feed conveyor I0, the arm 50 returns to its normal position and the switch 60 breaks the circuit between the generator I5 and the magnet J, and the bar M of the magnetic switch 16 then returnsV to its normal position, and breaks the circuit between the generator ||5 and the motor 65. It is thus evident that the conveyor 0 -is automatically stopped upon the opening of the box responsive switch 60 as the box passes into the lidder and strapper |2. It -is also to be noted that closing of the switch 60 by a box riding over' the lever 50 does not start the conveyor |0 in operation until the strap responsive switch |06 is also contacted.

'I'he feed conveyor 0 is thus seen to feed a box into the lidder and strapper I2 as the feeding of the strap and lid into this machine is being completed. Owing to the fact that the operation of the conveyor I0 does not commence until the switch |06 is actuated, there is no danger of a box being prematurely fed into the machine. On the other hand, it is not necessary for the operator to consciously set the feed conveyor in operation, as this is automatically accomplished in connection with the feeding of the strap into the lidder and strapper.

Referring now to Fig. '7, I have here shown a modified form of strapping machine |91 which is similar to the strapping machine 91 hereinbefore described and embodies a vertically shiftable strap supporter |98 which is adapted to support a strap |99 when the latter is fed thereto by hand as shown in Fig. 7.

'I'he strapper |91 includes a strapping saddle bar 200 and strap guiding jaws 20|, hammers 202 for nailing the ends of the strap |99 to the sides of the box being pivotally mounted in the jaws 20|. The strap supporter |98 is supported in a block 2|0, which is provided in the middle ofthe saddle bar 200. The supporter |98 is free to slide upwardly in a recess 2|| provided in the block 2 I0, but is held downwardly in its lowermost position therein by a light expansion spring 2|2. 'I'he lower end of the spring 2 |2 bears against an insulated block 2|3, which in turn rests upon a crescent shaped head 2M of a pair of strap supporting fingers 2|5, which extend downwardly through holes in a bottom wall 2|6 of the strap supporter |90. The fingers 2|5 have heels 2|1.

The insulating block 2|3 has a middle wall 220 which extends downwardly between the finger heads 2M. As the shell of the strap supporter |98 is also made of insulating material, it is seen that the fingers 2|5 are entirely insulated from each other.

Mounted on the insulating block 2| 3 are metal terminals 225 which rest upon and make electrical contact'with the heads 2|4 of the fingers 2|5. Electrically connected with the terminals 225 are wires 220 which, when this form of strapper is use d, are connected respectively to the wires |2| 6. Each of the straps |99 is provided' centrally with a pair of recesses 230, bent in the sides thereof, and when the strap is placed in the strapper |91 it is lifted upwardly so that the fingers. 2|5

slide over the edges of the strap at these recesses;

so that as the strapis caught and held upwardly by the heels 2|1, it is accurately centered in the strapper.

Another result of thus placing strap |99 in the .strapper |91 is to form an electrical connection between the fingers 2|5, which, with the wires 226 connected as aforesaid,`has the same effect as is hereinabove described as following closing of switch |06. In fact, for practical purposes the strap supporter |98 may be considered as a modied form of the switch |06.

From the foregoing description it is evident that in carrying out'my invention, the placing of a strap in 'the strapping machine of a combined lidder and strapper sets in motion the box feeding device of the inventionso as to quickly feed a box into the machine. This, of course, entirely eliminates the necessity of the operator paying attention to the feeding of boxes into the machine and insures that by the time the strap has been placed in the strapper and the lid fed into the lidder, the box to be strapped and lidded will be in the machine in readiness to start the operation of the latter.

What I claim is:

Y 1. In combination with a box strapper: a. power actuated feed conveyor adapted to receive boxes one at a time and discharge them one at a time into said strapper; and means on said strapper for starting said feed conveyor simultaneously said feed conveyor simultaneously with the placement of a strap in said lidder and' strapper.

3. In combination with a box strapper: a power actuated feed conveyor adapted to receive boxes one at a time and discharge them one at a time into said strapper; means on said strapper for starting said feed conveyor simultaneously with the placement of a strap in said strapper; and box responsive means on said feed conveyor for stopping said conveyor.-

4. In combination with a' strapper: a power actuated' feed conveyor adapted to receive boxes one at a time and discharge them one at a time into said strapper; and means adapted to be engaged by a strap in placing the latter into said strapper for automatically starting said feed conveyor upon the placement of a. strap in said strapper.

5. In combination with a box strapper: a power actuated feed conveyor adapted to receive boxes one at a time and discharge them one at a time into said strapper; and electro responsive means forming a circuit which is adapted to be closed by contact with a strap when the latter is placed in said strapper, the closing of said circuit starting said feed conveyor to feed a box into said machine.

. GERALD C. PAXTON. 

